Why Red Bull struggles on kerbs and bumpy circuits

Red Bull's recent woes with the RB20 car's behavior on kerbs and bumpy surfaces have been a cause for concern, and team advisor Helmut Marko has provided valuable insights into the root cause of these issues.

Simulator correlation discrepancies

In a candid admission, Marko revealed that

"the simulator and reality do not correlate"

when it comes to the RB20's performance on kerbs. This discrepancy between the simulated data and the car's actual behavior has been a significant challenge for the team.

Monaco's 'Kangaroo' effect

At the Monaco Grand Prix, the RB20 exhibited a "kangaroo" effect, bouncing and reacting erratically on the street circuit's bumps and kerbs.

Max Verstappen likened the car's handling to a "go-kart," indicating the severity of the issue and its impact on performance.

Singapore foreshadowing

Marko acknowledged that the correlation problem between the simulator and reality first surfaced during the Singapore Grand Prix last season, indicating that this has been an ongoing issue for Red Bull.

Technical analysis: Addressing the disconnect

Red Bull recognizes the urgency in addressing this correlation discrepancy. Marko stated,

"We are optimistic that we will be able to find out at least once why the simulator produces data that does not correspond to reality. That is the first point we will address."

Potential implications for Canada

With the next race in Montreal, Canada, looming, Red Bull remains cautious about the RB20's performance. Marko warned,

"Montreal could also be a difficult weekend for us,"

suggesting that the team's struggles on kerbs and bumps may persist at the high-speed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

"The Ferrari literally floated over the kerbs in the swimming pool, so it was out of reach. We had more trouble riding over the kerbs, but the kangaroo was in play for us."

- Helmut Marko on Ferrari's advantage in Monaco.

"Put simply, this means that the simulator and reality do not correlate. And Monaco was not the first race track where we had this problem; it was first relatively severe in Singapore."

- Helmut Marko on the correlation issue.

Red Bull's acknowledgment of the correlation discrepancies between their simulator and the RB20's real-world performance is a significant step towards addressing the car's shortcomings on kerbs and bumpy surfaces.

As the team works to rectify this issue, their competitiveness in upcoming races, particularly those with similar characteristics, may be impacted.